Family films

Published 5:30 am, Thursday, July 19, 2001

'Cats & Dogs'

Loyal dogs work together to protect humankind from sneaky, evil cats bent on world domination. Kids will find the action fun and the animals funny. But although
Sean Hayes
is a hoot as the voice of the Persian cat dictator, adults may wish for more humor. The talented voice cast also includes
Tobey Maguire
,
Alec Baldwin
and
Susan Sarandon
. The
PG
rating reflects animal actions (some violence) and some humor that parents might find too mature or otherwise inappropriate for younger viewers.

'Dr. Dolittle 2'

The dude who talks to the animals returns. Dolittle -- again played by

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Dr. Dolittle
movie, this one is cute and laugh-out-loud funny in places, but the laughs aren't nearly as frequent as one might hope. And as in the earlier film, attempts at humor are far too dependent on bathroom jokes. The film is rated

PG
for language and crude humor.

'Shrek'

The voices of
Mike Myers
, Eddie Murphy,
Cameron Diaz
and
John Lithgow
are put to good use in this computer-animated delight. What directors
Andrew Adamson
and
Vicky Jenson
and screenwriters
Ted Elliott
and Terry Rossio deliver is both cheeky and warmhearted. The story involves a mythical kingdom where the ogre Shrek (Myers) must rescue a princess (Diaz) with the help of a wacky donkey (Murphy). The
PG
rating stems from mild language and some crude humor.